Beth Lisick

When: Thu., Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. 2008Price: free

It's not that Beth Lisicknever
thought she needed improvement -- but rather that the idea of seeking it was
overwhelming: joining gyms, pursuing programs, choosing gurus. Yet a year ago,
the former San Francisco Chronicle columnist decided to go for it. The
result is her book, Helping Me Help Myself:
One Skeptic, Ten Self-help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone.
At Diesel (5433 College
Ave., Oakland) on Thursday,
Jan. 24, the Berkeley
author discusses her strange and often-funny journey, which included stints
under the tutelage of Jack Canfield, John Gray, SuzeOrman, and others. 7:30 p.m. Diesel.booksense.com